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Daily Current Affairs
20 March, 2025
1. Which country has recently increased UAV activities near Okinawa, raising security concerns?
- (a) Russia
- (b) North Korea
- (c) China
- (d) Japan
- (e) USA
Answer: (c) China
Explanation: China has been increasing its Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) operations near Okinawa, Japan, leading to security concerns. The strategic use of UAVs is being closely monitored due to its implications for regional stability.
2. What is the primary goal of India’s National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP)?
- (a) To increase wheat and rice production
- (b) To enhance organic farming across India
- (c) To boost domestic palm oil cultivation and reduce edible oil imports
- (d) To promote foreign investment in Indian agriculture
- (e) To expand the fisheries sector
Answer: (c) To boost domestic palm oil cultivation and reduce edible oil imports
Explanation: NMEO-OP aims to increase India’s palm oil cultivation to 10 lakh hectares by 2025-26, reducing dependence on imports and improving self-sufficiency in edible oil production.
3. The World Happiness Report 2025 ranks countries based on which of the following factors?
- (a) Economic growth and inflation
- (b) Military strength and defense spending
- (c) Social support, income, freedom, and health
- (d) Political stability and voter turnout
- (e) Agricultural productivity and food security
Answer: (c) Social support, income, freedom, and health
Explanation: The World Happiness Report considers multiple factors such as GDP per capita, social support, life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perceptions of corruption to rank countries.
4. The ₹1,500 crore UPI incentive scheme for FY 2024-25 aims to encourage what?
- (a) Higher taxation on digital transactions
- (b) Increased adoption of cash transactions
- (c) Promotion of digital payments via UPI
- (d) Implementation of cryptocurrency in India
- (e) Strengthening of the foreign exchange reserves
Answer: (c) Promotion of digital payments via UPI
Explanation: The government launched this scheme to boost digital transactions and enhance the use of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to facilitate a cashless economy.
5. The APAAR ID system recently introduced in India is related to which sector?
- (a) Banking and Finance
- (b) Education
- (c) Defense
- (d) Real Estate
- (e) Agriculture
Answer: (b) Education
Explanation: The APAAR ID is a unique identification system introduced for students to maintain academic records, facilitate digital learning, and streamline education-related processes.
6. The DGTR has recommended a 12% safeguard duty on steel imports for how many days?
- (a) 100 days
- (b) 150 days
- (c) 200 days
- (d) 250 days
- (e) 300 days
Answer: (c) 200 days
Explanation: The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has suggested imposing a 12% safeguard duty on steel imports for 200 days to protect domestic producers from excessive imports from China, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan.
7. Which Indian initiative aims to boost maritime growth with a ₹40,000 crore investment?
- (a) Sagar Parikrama
- (b) Blue Revolution 2.0
- (c) Sagarmala 2.0
- (d) Jal Marg Vikas Project
- (e) Bharatmala Pariyojana
Answer: (c) Sagarmala 2.0
Explanation: Sagarmala 2.0 is an initiative launched by the Indian government to develop port infrastructure, enhance cargo handling capacity, and improve maritime trade with a proposed investment of ₹40,000 crore.
8. Which of the following statements is correct about India’s monsoon forecast for 2025?
- (a) It is completely unaffected by climate change.
- (b) It is largely influenced by El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
- (c) It depends solely on Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD).
- (d) The monsoon prediction is based only on historical weather patterns.
- (e) It is unaffected by global warming.
Answer: (b) It is largely influenced by El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
Explanation: ENSO significantly impacts India’s monsoon patterns. The El Niño phase usually leads to a weak monsoon, while La Niña results in above-normal rainfall.
9. According to recent data, India’s remittance inflows have shifted from GCC countries to which type of economies?
- (a) African economies
- (b) Advanced economies
- (c) South Asian economies
- (d) Latin American economies
- (e) Middle Eastern economies
Answer: (b) Advanced economies
Explanation: The RBI survey indicates that India’s remittance sources are shifting from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations to advanced economies like the U.S. and U.K., due to increasing migration of high-skilled workers.
10. What is the main purpose of the newly proposed Enterprise Sample Registration System (ESRS)?
- (a) To regulate large industries
- (b) To track the growth and decline of microenterprises
- (c) To impose new taxation policies
- (d) To promote exports in India
- (e) To collect employment data for corporate firms
Answer: (b) To track the growth and decline of microenterprises
Explanation: The ESRS is introduced as an alternative to the economic census to provide real-time insights into the growth and decline of India’s microenterprises, especially in the informal sector.
